The Civil Arts Project: Art With a Purpose

The Civil Arts Project is a rolling exhibition designed to initiate  a conversation about race relations in America. 

During the Harlem Renaissance, Black Art was a major source in defining the struggle
and aspirations of the Civil Rights Movement. Black Art had a dual purpose of not only
to entertain and intrigue, but also to inform and educate. W. E. Du Bois stated “All art is propaganda. I do not care a damn for any art that is not used for propaganda.”

Influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. I believe all art is purposeful, whether intended or not. The Civil Art Project’s intended purpose is to help start the the  healing process through real conversations.

The Project retraces race relations in America. Starting with the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, the Civil Art Project takes the viewer through a visual time line of America’s racial history, the formation of the NAACP, the beginning of the civil rights movement and the reclaiming of the African American self identity.  

The works incorporate replicas of government documents, memorabilia from the specific eras and personal stories. Each piece’s title sets the narrative, while  the images present the story.